Name and death dates established through the Blair Cemetery records.

(veteran)

J. F. Curtis died at the Blair hospital at 8 o’clock Saturday evening, having been ill for some time with hardening of the arteries and chronic bronchitis. The funeral service was held Monday afternoon under G. A. R. and I. O. O. F. auspices, he being a member of both orders for many years. Mr. Curtis was born in Newport, Ind., January 14, 1838 and was therefore past 74 years of age. He enlisted in Co. D., of the 69th Ill., regiment and did regular soldier duty for about six months, when he was detailed as harness maker, serving about three years altogether. At the close of the war he came west and married to Miss Mary L Young in 1866. They settled on a claim near Arlington, and later took up a homestead in Lincoln township, where they lived until they moved to this city in 1900, to spend their declining years. Mrs. Curtis died in 1902 and Mr. Curtis has lived alone most of the time since. He enjoyed the comradeship of the old soldiers and they gave him every attention during his last illness. He leaves five children, Mrs. Hugo Haack, of this city, Dr. J. M. of Ft. Calhoun, S.C., of Omaha, and F. M. and A. G. who reside in Alberta, Canada.

#2 Published in the Blair Democrat, May 30, 1912

DEATH'S TOLL HEAVY

Comrade J. F. Curtis, who had made his home in Blair since 1900 and was a familiar figure and well known to everybody, died at the hospital in this city Saturday evening after having suffered for some time with hardening of the arteries, complicated with chronic bronchitis.

Mr. Curtis was born at Newport, Ind., January 14, 1838 and enlisted to Co. D. 69th, Ill. V. I., carrying a gun about six months and later serving as a government harness maker, in all enduring about three years of service. He came west shortly after the close of the war and in 1866 was married to Miss Mary L. Young, who lived near Bell Creek, new known as Arlington, this county. Mrs. Curtis first settled on a claim two and a half miles east of Arlington and later took up a homestead in Lincoln township, where he lived until moving to Blair in 1900. He was the father of eight children, five of who survive him: Dr. Curtis of Calhoun, S.C. of Omaha and F.M. and A.G. who reside in Alberta, Canada, and Mrs. Hugo Haack of this city. His wife died in 1902, about two years after they had moved to Blair to spend their days in rest and quietude.

The funeral services were held Monday afternoon, and were in charge of Old Fellows and G. A. R. of which orders he was an honored member, and the remains were laid to beside, those of his wife in the Blair cemetery.